Soul of Magic
by Clear Shadow
Summary: Rina has the WORST mouth ever. You have been warned.
1. Chapter One

Soul of Magic

Chapter one

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Disclaimer:

I own Rina. That's it. Everything else goes to the people behind Gundam Wing And Hawk belongs to Sharpsnout.

Sharpsnout: Psst! ::nudgenudge:: ::whisper::

Oh...um. Sharpsnout would like to add that Duo belongs to her too. Just remember. She said that not me.

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"Hold her down! I'll never get this on her if she struggles!"

"You OZ assholes had better let me go right now or I'll," the young girl let loose with such words that made the soldiers and scientists around her blush.

"I didn't know you could do all those things," a young soldier remarked.

"You can't," one of the scientists replied, "At least not at the same time. Look!" he snapped slapping the girl, "You should count yourself lucky that we don't just kill you right now,"

"What are you gonna do instead?" the girl was curious in spite of herself.

"We're going to fit you with a special collar," the scientist explained snapping it on before the girl could let loose with powerful magic

"Pretty…" the others in the room sweatdropped, "What's it do?"

"It impedes your magical powers."

"It does WHAT?!?" she shouted, "How the hell do I get it off?!?"

"You can't," the scientist said smugly.

"What the," she began swearing fluently again. When she touched it, it stabbed her fingers painfully, "Ow! Sonuvabitch!!" she shouted sticking her finger in her mouth.

"I though Sorceresses were supposed to be elegant," one of the other scientists remarked.

"Yeah well this one's a kid. The Sank Kingdom fell when she was, what, two, three? She was probably trained by those two witches that got away."

"Oh yeah. I remember them. They swore like a man too," the girl punched the offending soldier in the face.

"Keep you mouth off my teachers!" she spat, "Isn't it bad enough that you killed every last one of us?"

"Not quite every last one," the girl looked to the sound of the voice, it was a high ranking officer, tall with light brown hair and blue eyes, "We've left you alive Miss…um…did you have a name?"

"None of your business asshole," the scientist who had put the collar on her cuffed her upside the head.

"You are to show His Excellency respect! He's the one who ordered us to bring you in alive!"

"To which I would be grateful if you didn't slap this goddamn thing on my neck! And where the hell is my siren?!?"

"Do mean that creature you came in with?" she rolled her eyes.

"Obviously," she got cuffed again.

"You behave or we won't give her back."

"You get this thing off my neck or I'll kill you," she retorted, "No wait, I'll torture you and _then_ I'll kill you," she looked to the commanding officer who appeared amused, "And then I'll kill _you_. And enjoy myself!"

"My name," the officer went on as if he didn't hear her, "Is Treize Kushranada."

"Good for you," this time someone hit her in the eye.

"I'll ask you again, what is your name? It's only polite after giving you my name, after all without manners we are no better than dogs."

"Woof," someone punched her in the stomach, "Heh. Big tough _men_," she said sarcastically, doubled over, "Hitting a defenseless girl. Bet you all feel _real_ proud of yourselves," someone raised their hand but Treize stopped him.

"She's right. She's defenseless. Leave her," she looked at him suspiciously.

"Why are you being so nice?"

"Mamma raised me polite," the girl grinned though she tried hard not too.

"Very well. My name is Shakira Blossom."

"Is that your real name?"

"Ha. Real name. Funny. It's real enough. And it's a name isn't it?"

"Fair enough," he looked at her clothes, torn in the fight she had with the soldiers, and her hair, which was mussed, then settling on the large gash she had on the right side of her face, "Feed her," he ordered, "Give her some clothes, a bath perhaps, return her pet to her and see to her wounds. Then put her in a cell until the Foundation figures out what to do with her," she was roughly hoisted up and led away.

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"I don't know _why_ I let them get away with that," she confided to her pet, Elani, later on as she paced her cell, "I mean _really_ how dumb am I?"

"Meow, meow, meow," Not very, honestly.

"Thanks. But I am. I mean, letting them fit this damn thing on my neck? How the Hell am I supposed to break free?"

"Merow mew meow?" What do you mean?

"Think Elani, I can't use my powers. It's gonna be hard doing things without em'. Jackin' a shuttle, getting out of here…get it?"

"Meow." No, not really, the girl sighed and threw her hands up.

"Elani!"

"Meow!" Sorry!

"Hey! You in there!" it was a soldier, a scared one.

"Yes?"

"I'm gonna open the door to feed you…so…don't try anything…any funny stuff and I'll shoot got it?" Rina raised her hands innocently.

"Who me?" the soldier muttered something and opened the door. Once inside Rina lowered the sleeve of her jacket and shirt, exposing her shoulder and a tiny bit of her breast," Could you help me? I've got this…this…_itch_… that I just can't seem to reach…" the soldier turned beet red but walked over anyway, "Could you get it for me?" Rina pouted sensually and turned around, lowering her jacket and shirt even more. The soldier, who had a slight nosebleed, began to scratch, "Ooooo…._that's_ it….right _there_…" meanwhile Elani snuck up behind him and bit him, hard, on the back of the neck.

"What the-" quick as anything Rina whirled around and elbowed the soldier in the head, knocking him out. 

"Let's go," she said re-adjusting her clothes, "Normally I'd leave this place a smoldering pile of ruin but, they gave me new clothes and besides, that guy scratched my back for me!"

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"All personel, all personel, the sorceress has escaped. Repeate she is on the loose. If you come across her shoot her down," Rina scowled at the nearby intercom. That guard had woken up sooner than she had anticipated.

"I bet he didn't like that I stole his uniform and left him dressed in the clothes that, that Trieze ass left me," she whispered to Elani. The siren meowed her agreement. Rina shouldered her rifle and began joggining in what she hoped was the direction of the exit.

"You! Hold it right there!" an officer ran up to her, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Heading to the exit sir, the Sorceress will most likely head that way. I was going to head her off," the officer looked at her and cocked his head. She gazed right back at him, "Sir? She could escape."

"Arlight solider. Don't do anything stupid," Rina saluted.

"Yes sir!" she rolled her eyes as the officer ran off.

"You salute with the other hand you know," a calm voice told her, Rina whirled around, instinctively throwing a spell. The collar around her neck crackled and sparked, draining her completely and sending her to her knees. Elani got between her and the voice, hissing angerly, "Relax. I didn't do anything," 

"You only....only put this damned collar on me...like I was a _dog_ or something...."

"You're young," Treize replied, stepping out fully, "It was either this or death. I had no wish to kill you."

"Mercy for the enemy is it?" Rina spat, using the wall to get back to her feet, "I would rather you had killed me."

"Would you?" she raised her rifle at him with a shaking arm.

"I will find a way to remove this thing. And then I will come for you. I swear it. Now get out of my way."

"As you wish. You are tame now. You can no longer destroy our bases."

"Other people do it without magic. I'll just have to learn their way. Steal a Mobile Suit or two."

"Do you really think you can survive withour your magic?"

"Yes. Now move," he moved out of her path, she inched around him, keeping her gun trained on him, "Don't come after me or I will shoot you."

"What's stopping you?"

"You showed me mercy, returned my siren to me, gave me clothes....food. I owe you gratitiude but that only goes so far. Consider my not shooting you where you stand as payment. After this I will not hesitate to kill you or your men," she took off, running unsteadily.

"We're in the desert you know," Treize called after her, "How far do you think you'll get?"

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The next thing she remembered was waking up in a strange tent. Not strange as in odd, but rather strange as in not hers. Not that she owned a tent in the first place, but whatever. The point was that she had no idea where she was. 

"You shouldn't move just yet," the heavily accented voice was to the left of her, "You're exhausted. We watched you wander around for several days with nothing ot eat or drink. It's a miracle that you survived really."

"Heh," Rina's voice was gravel dry, "I must have an angel watching me or whatever," a waterskin was pressed into her hand, "Thank you," she told the unknown man greatfully before gulping its contents, "You said you were watched me?"

"Yes. We saw you come from the direction of the Oz Base. We weren't sure if you were one of Oz's. Then you passed out and we figured that it was safe to take you in."

"So now I'm a prisoner?"

"Until you prove yourself otherwise."

"I'm a sorceress," the man chuckled.

"Of course you are."

"I am. Only I can't do magic because of the collar Treize snapped on me."

"Little girl, all the sorceresses are dead. Everyone knows that."

"Not true. Two older ones escaped with a toddler."

"If that's true then the toddler would have to be–"

"Fourteen. My birthday was a few months ago. I would not lie about this. If you truly want me to I will attempt a spell....but I may knock myself out."

"Ok. Try a spell," Rina growled.

"Jerk face. Fine. Don't care about my well being. See if I care..." she held out a hand, tiny sparks jumping over it, her collar crackled warningly, "Can I stope now?" she wasked when the collar really began to get pissy.

"Yes, yes! I believe you!" the hand lowered shakily.

"Thanks."

"You have to understand–"

"All the sorceresses were killed in the fall of the Sank Kingdom blah blah blah....yeah yeah. I know. Look, whenever a child of the Sank Kingdom is born a Sorceress shows up not much later, right?" the man nodded, everyone knew the tales, "Well the Sorceress and her charge are linked, thanks to a spell placed on the anchient king. Basiclly if I die the my charge gets _real_ sick and if he or she dies then I'll loose my powers. Which may not seem like much, but let me tell you, it's a HUGE pain in the ass to not have them. Since I'm still here, and there's not reports of any unexplained sickness then we're oviously not all dead right? _Right?_"

"Sure...." she had clearly confused the man.

"You know what? Nevermind. Forget I said anything. I'm not a Sorceress. I'm an Oz captive that escaped with her pet...wait....HOLY FUCK!!!" the man jumped.

"What? What's wrong _now?_"

"Elani!! Where is she? Is she ok? Oh my _God_....."

"The cat thing?" Rina nodded, "She's fine. She's entertaining some of the men."

"They'd better not feed her she'll get fat. And then I'll have to deal with a fat, spoild....whatever she is."

"You do not know what she is?"

"No clue. Other than she's my friend, and the only one I have at this point," she rubbed her face with her hands, "I won't stay long. Your people are in danger because you hold me here."

"Our people are rebels of the desert. We're in danger anyway."

"Well I'm making it worse. I would like to leave today if I could. But first could I ask one more thing of your people?"

"What is it?"

"New clothes? Please? This uniform is _fugly_."

"Fugly? My but you have quite a mouth on you."

"This it true. New clothes? Please? Preferably involving a cloak?"

"A cloak?" Rina nodded emphatically.

"I'll need it until I can find some mundane way to change my appearance. No powers anymore," she pointed to the collar, "Stupid Oz people. Think they're _so_ smart....anyway, I need a way to hide my appearance."

"But a cloak will seem more conspicuous will it not?"

"Not if I stick to the border towns. People wander around in cloaks all the time. They come in from the desert I think. As soon as I can get dye and contacts or something I'll be able to go into the cities and things."

"You seem to have this thought out," the man commented.

"I've been hiding from Oz most of my life. It was only recently that I was caught. I was careless. And it cost me my mentors, my friends. Kalina and Rani where like older sisters to me. They, even though they had no powers of thier own, trained me for ten years," she smiled wryly, "And I thank them by getting them executed," her clenched fists shook slightly as two drops of salt water landed on them, "I hate Oz for what they've done to them. All of them," she looked up, wiping the tears away, "I'm sorry. You've been nothing but kind and here I am giving you a sob story."

"No, no it's ok," a handkerchief was handed to her, "At least you are not fighting just on your own indignanties."

"Although this collar thing fucking _sucks_....." she muttered, wiping her face and handing the garmnant back.

"No keep it. I have others."

"Thanks."

"May I ask you your name, Little Sorceress?"

"Rina."

"No last name?"

"Nope. Do I need one? I'm sure I can think up a good one," the man chuckled.

"No, no Miss Rina. There is no need."

"Can I ask _your_ name Large Desert Man?" chuckling increased, Rina could be charming when she tried.

"I am, Rashid."

"What...no last name?" chuckling increased again, as Rina grinned.

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	2. Chapter Two

Soul of Magic

Chapter two

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Disclaimer: Still own the same things as the last chapter.

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She wasn't sure why she though of those days. The days when she was fitted with this hated collar, and when she learnt of desert hospitality. Rashid's people had given her the clothes that she had worn for the past year, and the cloak as well. Both cloak and desert dress were well worn and faded, if she still retained her powers she would have been able to apply spells that would make them new and shiny again. As it was, she could not and it pissed her off greatly. To make matters worse, news about her escape had spread rapidly and she never got her hair dye and contacts. Which of course meant that she had to keep the hood up on her cloak at all times, and really couldn't go _anywhere _anymore. Shadows where no long fun to play with.

Her thoughts where interrupted by Elani pawing at her leg with plaintive mewling.

"What is it El?" the creature mewled again and Rina bent over to scoop her up, "Are you hungry? Yeah...I am too," she smiled at Elani, "Let's swipe some old person's lunch ok?" the cat like creature meowed happily and threw her paws up in the air. Rina smiled softly at her, ever since she lost her powers she discovered that she could no longer tell what her pet said to her. It saddened her to no longer talk with Elani, but like everything else she had to accept it and move on. Her hand went gently to the gun she carried on her hip as she walked along a sparsely populated street. In the past year that she had traveled these border towns, streets like this had become her favorite haunts. And better yet, she was in luck. There was some girl sitting all alone at a tiny café table. Rina smiled predatorily, this would be the easiest meal she had ever stolen. She walked up and pressed the barrel of the gun against the girl's head.

"Ok look," she said cockling the gun, "I really don't feel like splattering your brains all over this nice sandwich. So if you'll just hand it over along with any money you might have I'll leave and you'll never see me again."

"You're pretty cocky...aimin' a gun at someone in broad daylight," Rina tilted her head slightly, that voice wasn't all that feminine....she shook her head, she needed to focus.

"Not cocky," she replied, "Starving. You don't know what it's like to live on the streets. Only staying in the shadows because your face is known to everyone. I haven't slept in an actual bed in a _year._ A goddamned year!! And let's not even discuss this lack of proper hygiene I have goin' on."

"Aww you're breakin' my heart...."

"Look chica, I am hungry. I am very...._very_ hungry. In fact. I am _so_ hungry that I'm about _this_ close to shooting and eating _you. _So, may I _please_ have that sandwich?" there was a click and the feeling of a gun being pressed into the small of her back, "Well this was unexpected...." she muttered.

"Just back up whoever you are and drop your weapon," whoever it was sounded young. And judging by where the gun was, was kind of short as well.

"Look kid," Rina replied as Elani hissed at this new person, "You have a gun to my back, shoot me and you may miss anything vital. But I got news for you. If I shoot this person here, I am _definitely_ hitting something important. Like the brain. So if you don't want a perfectly good sandwich ruined by brain matter and blood and skull splinters I suggest you back up."

"Duo?"

"Better do it. It's only a sandwich. Ok lady, I'm going to slowly get up and hand you the sandwich while my buddy Hawk here backs up off of ya ok?" Rina smirked.

"About time you came around to the idea," the gun left her back and she heard the footfalls of a retreating person. She herself took a step or two back as the person in the seat stood up, plate of food in hand. With one hand still aiming the gun, she reached the other one forward slightly as the person turned around. Suddenly the hand fell back as Rina's mouth opened in shock. Not only was this long haired person _not_ a girl, but he looked just like she did! The gun wavered slightly and the boy took that opportunity to strike. Rina and her attacker fell backwards onto the street, the action causing her hood to fall back as her head bounced on the pavement. For a moment she saw stars and in that time the boy had seated himself on Rina's stomach as the other boy held the snarling, fighting Elani by the scruff.

"Wow this is a _good_ sandwich," the braided boy mocked her, eating the food as Rina fought to throw off his weight, "Best sandwich of my _life_."

"You _ass_," Rina snarled, "Bad enough you knocked me over!! You have to rub it in my face to?! And who the hell are you to look so much like me anyway?!" the boy looked down at her angry face and tilted his head.

"Hey....you look...just like I do when I have my hair down...and if my hair was as stringy and dirty as yours. Which it never is."

"_Asshole_!!!!"

"Ah but it's true. Hey Hawk, come see this chick," the one named Hawk peered at Rina's face.

"I'm not a damn sideshow!!!" she shouted writhing more violently under Duo, "Let me up!!!"

"You were going to kill me and eat me," Duo replied, mouth full of bread and meat.

"I'm _hungry_!!" she protested. She tried to reached for the food but it was held out of her reach, "See now this is just cruel and unusual punishment...." she muttered, crossing her arms and turning her head to the side. The half eaten sandwich was thrust into her field of vision. Rina glanced at it, then at the boy warily.

"No tricks," he promised, "You can really have it. See I _do_ know what it means to be hungry and alone on the streets," he waited until she had taken it before getting off of her and trying to get a better look at her while she scarfed half of the half down and feeding the rest to the still restrained Elani, "Do I know you?"

"Nope, I'd remember someone like _you_," she said, yanking Elani out of Hawk's grasp and holding her a little protectively, "Maybe Oz cloned me in my sleep or something...." she began gazing at him as keenly as he gazed at her. He pulled back sharply.

"You're with OZ?" there was a click as the boy aimed his gun at her again.

"Captured, collared, and currently hunted by them actually," she replied.

"You could be lying," Hawk said.

"Look at how I'm dressed. I'm on the run from Oz for being a Sorceress _ok_?"

"A sorceress? Prove it," Rina sighed.

"I can't. Not with the collar. Any spell could kill me."

"Convenient excuse," another sigh came from the girl.

"If I can prove it...I want you two to promise me that you won't leave me out here alone. I want protection while I'm out cold. Deal?" she rose her brow at Duo, who nodded. Rina nodded back and handed Elani to him, "Hold her," then stepped back, outstretching her arms. The wind around them picked up as she began whistling the runes for wind, her cloak, Duo's braid, Hawk's bangs, all things belonging to the small group of three were tossed about by the wind, though nothing else was touched. Suddenly the collar around Rina's neck began sparking, then crackling. After a minute or two it got _really_ annoyed and sent sparks up and down her body. Rina fell to he ground like a ton of bricks and passed out.


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